The Buckingham County Farm Bureau is set to sponsor a candidate’s forum for the upcoming Nov. 5 Board of Supervisors (BOS) general election.

According to Buckingham County Farm Bureau President Ivan P. “Chip” Davis, the forum will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the Peter Francisco Auditorium in the county administration complex.

“The questions were solicited from our membership at our annual meeting about a month ago,” said Davis. “Our board of directors screened them and we selected about five or six questions over a 90 minute period that they’ll respond to. This is going to be a forum. It’s not going to be a debate. It’s going to be very controlled.”

Davis explained that the event would be moderated by Martha Moore. “She’s very skilled at doing this. She’s worked in state elections and things like this before,” said Davis.

According to Davis, the candidates were sent two questions ahead of time that they may prepare a response to. “They know they’re coming,” Davis explained.

The other questions that the candidates will be asked during the forum, however, will be extemporaneous.

“This will give people a chance to get a feeling of how they can make prepared statements and how they can think on their feet,” said Davis. “There are going to be questions agricultural in nature. Some of them are going to be general questions of interest to anyone in the county.”

According to Buckingham Director of Elections Margaret Thomas, many of the voting districts will not be challenged this year. In District Two, Donald E. “Donnie” Bryan, incumbent BOS chairman, is running unopposed for re-election. District Five’s Harry W. Bryant Jr., incumbent vice chairman, also has no competitor.

In addition to this, District Six candidate Joe N. Chambers Jr. and District Seven candidate Danny R. Allen, both current members of the BOS, are also the only candidates running in their respective precincts.

There is, however, competition for other board members. District One’s current supervisor, Robert C. “Bobby” Jones is being challenged by Robert H. Scarbrough Jr. and William F. “Buster” Martin.

Running for re-election for District Three is Donald R. “Don” Matthews Jr., who will join candidates David Wade Ball and Wilbert M. “Esau” Dean.

Candidates for District Four include current supervisor E. Morgan Dunnavant and Thomas Jordan Miles III.

Thomas explained that all of the candidates are running as independents with the exception of District Three’s Matthews who is running as a Republican and Miles of District Four who is running as a Democrat.

Davis stated that the Farm Bureau is hoping to see some good participation from this year’s hopefuls. An email was sent out on Sept. 16 telling all candidates the prepared questions and statements, as well as how the forum will be run. Candidates had until Sept. 23 to RSVP to the event.